Resurrection
by Nexis Starfrost
Summary: When the digidestined attend a Halloween carnival they get more Spooks than they paid for! This fic was orginally in general, but there's so many there I decided to move it to an actual cateogory. And I DO want you to TRY to figure it all out- I'm the k
1. Default Chapter Title

Author's notice  
  
Because I don't feel like writing 'chan' and 'kun' after various characters names all the time, this is a list of the following 'nicknames' I've   
derived from each character's name:  
Hikari- Hi  
Jyou- (none)  
Koushiro- Kou  
Mimi- Mi  
Taichi- Tai  
Takeru- Take  
Sora- (none)  
Yamato- Yama  
Oh, and Jyou's brother Jim- since I don't know Jim's Japanese name, his new name is "Jimu".  
~Thanks  
  
CHAPTER I  
  
'When the moon turns black and the suns align. When the Moonstone exhibits a light not of its own. Then, will the resurrection begin at   
the cost of a soul.' The Dark Master recited the beautiful prophecy to himself. He smiled in the darkness. Soon now, great king, you will   
live again.  
  
0~*~*~*~*~*~0~*~*~*~*~*~0  
  
It had pretty much been a quiet afternoon for Taichi as he sat slumped on the couch next to Hikari watching the newest episode of   
Pokemon. Through the glass sliding doors to the balcony the sun was shining from a cold blue sky that faded to white at Tokyo's   
horizon. A cool breeze sounded the delicate music of the wind chimes next to the door. Such was a typical fall day.   
  
Taichi loved fall. He'd especially like to walk through the park to see the leaves turn red and yellow. He liked to walk through the fallen,   
drifting leaves, so he could hear them crunch under his feet. Even the grass was interesting with its mix of brown and green. He liked   
the tug of the wind on his jacket and the cool touch of the autumn mistress tickling the back of his neck. Sure, it was a heck of a detour   
home from school, but it was worth it. Always.  
  
Even Hikari enjoyed the fall. Although her favorite season was the spring, something about it being the "season of love". Taichi knew   
without a doubt she learned that from Sora. He wasn't too sure about this "season of love" stuff, but it was a girl thing anyway.  
  
Taichi glanced at his sister. Her eyes were fixated on the TV before them, captivated by the flashy attacks of Pikachu under the   
commands of his trainer Satoshi. The doorbell sounded, and like a flash of lightening Hikari jumped off the couch to answer the   
door saying to Taichi, "I'll get it!"  
  
"Hi!" she said, letting in the visitors.   
  
"Hi," Yamato replied, letting the ever heavy Gabumon down from his arms. "Man, Gabumon, you're really getting heavy!"  
  
"I'm sorry," he apologized, "but I haven't gotten exercise since we returned from the digiworld."  
  
"It's only been a week!"  
  
Taichi smiled. Agumon was the same way. He'd been complaining about his belly recently. Agumon had always had a belly; there just   
weren't any mirrors in the digiworld. Taichi could never say that exactly. He supported his digimon, not in the sense of agreement, but   
in the sense of truth and love.  
  
"Hey, Yama," Taichi waved as Hikari put Yamato's jacket in the closet.  
  
"Hey, Tai. What's up?" Yamato sat on the couch on the other side of Hikari.  
  
"Nothing much, unless you consider homework exciting."  
  
He chuckled. "Same here."  
  
"Where's Agumon and Gatomon?" Gabumon paced, looking for them.  
  
"Oh, Agumon's playing jacks in Tai's room," Hikari said, "and Gatomon is taking a cat-nap on the balcony."  
  
"Jacks?"  
  
"It's a neat American game!" she bounced off the couch. "Come on, I'll show you how to play it!" With that Hikari led him down the hall to   
Tai's room, bubbly explaining how she and Tai had discovered the game in a little American import shop in one of Tokyo's downtown   
districts.  
  
"Well, I see SOMEONE's happy to be back." Yamato said.  
  
Taichi nodded, eyes on the TV.  
  
"You're really into that aren't you?" he said, gesturing to the TV show. "You're turning into a couch potato, Tai."  
  
"I am not!" Tai defended, "And what about you and Yoroiden Samurai Troopers, huh?"  
  
"What? I like the show, but I don't stare like some sorta…zombie!"  
  
"Sure, Yama."  
  
"Whatever, Tai."  
  
Tai's mom walked into the room, carrying a fresh load of laundry to hang outside. "Why, hello, Yamato."  
  
"Hi, Mrs. Kamiya."  
  
She stepped outside, letting a chill breeze into the room.  
  
0~*~*~*~*~*~0~*~*~*~*~*~0  
  
The entire gang had collected at Taichi's house that evening. It was about 6 o'clock, and already the day was showing signs of the   
approaching sunset.  
  
"So, what are we going to do?" Jyou asked impatiently, standing next to the couch on Taichi's end. "I have a juku in two hours."  
  
"Jyou, you study too hard." Mimi said, sitting next to Sora on the love seat.  
  
"Well, let's see if you get anywhere with an attitude like that!" he snapped.  
  
"I know!" Hikari stood at the glass doors, peering out. "Let's go to that neat little American shop where we got our jacks."  
  
"Sure," Taichi agreed, "if I knew where it was." He thought a moment, "I think it's in Akiharaba."  
  
"I don't think so, Tai." Koushiro sat on the couch next to him, looking up from his computer.   
  
Taichi thought a moment. "I know! It's in Roppongi."  
  
"Don't think so, Tai!" they said collectively.  
  
Taichi slid down into his seat, a sweat drop running down his face. "Okay, okay…"  
  
"So much for that idea." Sora said, looking at the TV Takeru was watching so intently.  
  
"I know!" Mimi jumped up. "Let's go shopping!" They all looked at her for a time, silent. Mimi sat down as she looked at each face in   
turn; her idea not so readily excepted.  
  
From the floor Takeru laughed at something on the TV.   
  
"You know, they've been teaching us about Halloween in school," Hikari said breaking the silence, watching the sky turn. "Can we do   
Halloween this year, Tai?"  
  
"Isn't that an American thing?" Mimi wondered.  
  
"Actually, Halloween has its roots in Europe as All Hallow's Eve." Koushiro explained, never looking up from the computer screen   
casting a blue aura on his face.  
  
"Oh."  
  
Koushiro nodded, though hypnotized by his computer. "It's a lot like our own holiday… when we throw rice… and…." He trailed off, but   
they waited for him to continue.  
  
After a time Taichi said, "If we were to do Halloween, Hi, what would you dress up as?"  
  
"A cat." She replied gesturing. "Like Gatomon."  
  
Gatomon smiled affectionately.  
  
"What about you, Jyou?" Yamato asked from the other side of Koushiro on the couch on.  
  
Jyou shook his head. "I'm too old to be 'dressing up'."  
  
Yamato agreed. "I'm not into it either."  
  
"I want to be a Ninja Turtle!" Takeru sang from the floor, clicking his shoes together.  
  
"I think you watch too many American cartoons," Yamato disapproved. "What about Musashi Miyamoto? You still like him, don't you?"  
  
Takeru shook his head vigorously. "I want to be Michaelangelo!"  
  
Yamato sighed. Then, "What about you, Tai?"  
  
"Hmm." Taichi thought. There wasn't really anything in particular. In fact, Taichi had never really thought about it. You were supposed   
to dress up as a role model or something you like, right? What DID he like? "I don't know. I guess I've never really thought about it   
before. What about you, Kou?"  
  
Koushiro's busy hands stopped. He looked up, clueless. "Huh?"  
  
"What are you going to be for Halloween?" Tentomon asked again for Taichi. "I think you should be a computer geek!"  
  
"Not much difference there," Gomamon added from on the back of the couch near Jyou.   
  
"Yeah, he already IS a computer geek!" Biyomon finished for Gomamon.  
  
Koushiro ignored them. "Actually I'm going to be… a pirate businessman."  
  
Mimi was confused. "Like an American?"  
  
"Can't say I've ever heard of THAT one, Kou!" Taichi laughed.  
  
"What about you, Sora?" Gabumon asked, looking at the silent girl.  
  
"I don't know, I guess I've never though about it either." she said. "I think I'm gonna be a witch."  
  
"A witch?!" Taichi blurted out, shocked. "What are you gonna be a witch for? Witches are bad!"  
  
"Lay off, Tai, it's not your decision!" Yamato scolded.  
  
"You don't want me to be a witch, Tai?" Sora asked as if Yamato hadn't said anything. She looked at Taichi with her soulful amber eyes.   
"Well, what do YOU think I should be?"  
  
Taichi met her amber gaze; the amber gaze that sought for his approval. "I don't know. I just…" he stuttered. Maybe a princess. A   
princess like the one in Sleeping Beauty, and he could come and wake her with a- "I don't know. Just something else."  
  
"Well, I'm going to be a beautiful geisha!" Mimi chirped, breaking the tension. She interlocked her fingers together on her lap in dreamy   
wonder.   
  
Thank Goodness. Taichi sighed with relief. Shyly, he transfixed his gaze to the TV.  
  
"Yeah, Mi, that would be nice!" Palmon agreed.  
  
"Why don't you just be a cowgirl," Jyou shifted his glasses. "Then you wouldn't have to change your clothes."  
  
"Hmph!" Mimi stuck her nose up at him. "Very funny, Jyou."  
  
"I think Take should be a pumpkin!" Patomon squeaked from the floor. There was a food commercial on TV at the time.  
  
Takeru looked at his companion, laughing. "No, silly!"  
  
The old commercial faded away, shortly replaced by a new one. One that caught Taichi's eye. "Hey everybody, look at that!"  
  
All attention turned to the TV. "Come one, come all!" it said. "Welcome to the famous All Hallow's Eve Festival of Spooks! Where you   
can find games, music, dancing, and lots of other activities!…." The announcer went on, and the screen displayed an array of colors   
and fast moving pictures. After a time the commercial faded out.  
  
"I've never heard of it." Yamato said.  
  
"Looks neat!" Takeru said.  
  
"Can we go, Tai?" Hikari asked, finally turned away from the outside.   
  
"Sure, why not?" Taichi nodded. "Looks like fun!"  
  
Hikari smiled.  
  
"For something so 'famous', I can't find it anywhere on the net." Koushiro researched with quick efficiency. "The search engines come up   
empty; not anything even close. You'd think they'd advertise on the web if they were so popular."  
  
"That's odd…." Tentomon agreed.  
  
"I did, however, find something by the name of 'Starfrost Celestial Palace', but it's in English, and I can't read English too well… yet."  
  
Taichi smiled. Ah, Koushiro, the master of all knowledge.  
  
Koushiro clicked something on his computer, then shut his laptop and sighed. "Dead end, I guess."  
  
"I'll get it for you, Kou." Hikari offered as she unplugged Koushiro's cable from the wall. He thanked her as she handed it to him. She   
smiled.  
  
"Did anybody catch where this festival was?" Mimi asked suddenly.  
  
"It's in that one park in downtown Shinjuku." Taichi answered.  
  
"Which 'one' park?" Yamato asked. "I got so distracted by all those flashy images I completely missed it."  
  
Sora agreed. "I think we should go as a group."  
  
"Yeah!" Hikari looked excitedly at her digimon. "It'll be fun. Don't you think so, Gatomon?"  
  
Gatomon looked away from Hikari's gaze to study her claws. "Sorry, Hi, I'm not interested."  
  
"Me neither." Agumon agreed.  
  
"Yama…" Gabumon started apologetically.  
  
"It's okay," he replied, "I understand."  
  
Patomon met Takeru with a guilty look. "Well…"  
  
"I'm sorry, Sora, but I'm not interested. Is that okay?" Biyomon said.  
  
Sora nodded. "Sure, it's okay."  
  
"Yeah," Takeru agreed, speaking to Patomon, "but you're going to miss a lot of fun!"  
  
Palmon wouldn't meet Mimi's gaze.   
  
"It's okay, Palmon," She assured her.  
  
Palmon looked at her, green eyes shinning. "Really?"  
  
"Uh-huh." Mimi nodded and smiled, closing her eyes in expression.  
  
Gomamon turned to his friend. "And you, Jyou?"  
  
"…I'm not interested." Jyou shook his head, surprising everyone.  
  
Gomamon smiled. "Good! Then that makes two of us!"  
  
Jyou looked at his wrist watch. "Oh no! I'm going to be late for my juku!"  
  
"Jyou, you've only been here fifteen minutes…." Sora said.  
  
"But I have to ride the train to get there!" Jyou panicked. "What if the train breaks down!?"  
  
"Jyou, I think you're over reacting." Gomamon said, watching Jyou clumsily put on his shoes and jacket.  
  
"I'll come get you after my juku! Tai, take care of Gomamon!" Jyou stood, opening the door. "Oh, and don't worry, I'll let myself   
out!" Jyou scurried out, shutting the door behind him.  
  
The gang just stared at the door, a little confused. Taichi wasn't surprised, but it was a little discerning. But then, Jyou was like that;   
much too responsible.   
  
A long silence followed.  
  
Then suddenly, Mimi asked. "Um, does anybody know WHEN the carnival is?"  
  
Everybody fell over, limps twitching, faces blue, moaning in despair at Mimi's one-track mind.  
  
Mimi looked at them half-wittedly. "What?"  
  
0~*~*~*~*~*~END OF CHAPTER I~*~*~*~*~*~0  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  



	2. Chapter 2

Author's notice  
  
Because I don't feel like writing 'chan' and 'kun' after various characters names all the time, this is a list of the following 'nicknames'   
I've derived from each character's name:  
Hikari- Hi  
Jyou- (none)  
Koushiro- Kou  
Mimi- Mi  
Taichi- Tai  
Takeru- Take  
Sora- (none)  
Yamato- Yama  
Oh, and Jyou's brother Jim- since I don't know Jim's Japanese name, his new name is "Jimu".  
~Thanks  
  
  
CHAPTER II  
  
"C'mon, Tai!" Hikari yelled outside his bedroom door.   
  
"I'm coming!" he replied, slipping into his jeans. He zipped them up and proceeded to put on his sneakers. Taichi had had a lot of   
time to try and decide what he was going to be. He wanted be like one of his role models. But the question was, which one? And   
which costume could be made with relative ease? It wasn't that Taichi didn't have anything to choose from. He just wanted to ease   
the burden on his mother because she had to make Hikari's costume as well. Taichi slipped into a shirt and jacket. He tugged the   
wrinkles out of it; proud of his choice. Taichi picked up the fingerless gloves from the bed to slip them on. He'd had a couple of   
weeks to think about it. Taichi took off his goggles. He took the bandana that Agumon held for him and tied it around his forehead.   
Taichi admired his costume in the mirror.   
  
Yup, he couldn't have possibly chosen a better costume.  
  
"So, you're going, now?" Agumon asked rhetorically.  
  
Taichi nodded. "Yup. Just as soon as Hi and I drop you and Gatomon off at Jyou's."  
  
"Tai!" Hikari yelled impatiently.  
  
"Okay!"  
  
"Be careful, Tai," Agumon said. "You have your crest and digivice, don't you?"  
  
Taichi gestured to under his shirt and in his jeans pocket. "Sure do, don't worry."  
  
The two exited the room and entered the kitchen. Hikari sat on a stool while her mom applied the make-up spread out on the   
counter. She noticed Taichi out of the corner of her eye and tried to look at him.  
  
"Be still." Mom told her. "Or you'll mess it all up…. There."  
  
Mom let her go. Hikari jumped off, ran to Taichi and spun in a circle for him. "What do you think?"  
  
Taichi looked her up and down. She had on her black ballerina slippers and white socks over her black spandex pants. She wore a   
light pink tutu secured to her waist by thick, bunched pink fabric (the same color as the bandana she always wore around her neck)   
that tied back into a large bow. A long black cat tail was pinned to the bow's underside. She also wore a black leotard, the one she   
used for ballet, and of course that pink bandana around her neck. She had on white gloves with black paw prints on the bottom.   
Hikari had a black button nose and two whiskers painted on each cheek. On her head sat black cat ears with white tips. Taichi   
smiled. She looked just like Gatomon. "You look really nice, Hi."  
  
She smiled. "You too, Tai."  
  
0~*~*~*~*~*~0~*~*~*~*~*~0  
  
The gang was already waiting for them in the subway station. It wasn't too busy now, that would be good for catching the next   
subway. Mimi looked really wonderful with her burgundy and pink kimono. She had her hair up in a bun, and had on attractive red   
lipstick that certainly drew attention to her. Taichi smiled. Koushiro had on the typical brown business suit and red tie. He had an   
eye patch on his right eye and a pirate's scar on his left cheek. He wore with all this his old purple sneakers. Taichi smiled at the   
comical sight. He pointed to Koushiro's briefcase. "What's with that?"  
  
"It's my computer." He replied.  
  
"You're taking your computer?"  
  
"Why not?"  
  
Forget it. Taichi looked then to Takeru, who looked less than happy. But why? His costume was great and obviously had a lot of   
work put into it. Takeru had his old sneakers (of course), brown shorts, and a green long-sleeved shirt with a yellow turtle's   
underside printed on it. On his back was a flat cardboard turtle shell covered in a fabric, turtle shell print. Actually, Taichi thought   
that the print looked like the skilled hand of airbrush artist. He had purple bandanas around his elbows and knees and around his   
forehead. In his hand was a miniature, toy bo.  
  
As if being able to read Taichi's mind, Yamato said, "Mom got Michaelangelo mixed up with Donatello."  
  
"Yeah…," Takeru sighed, looking thoughtfully at his bo a moment. "But at least I got a cool bo!"  
  
Yamato nodded and smiled, glad his brother had cheered up a bit.  
  
Taichi then looked to Yamato, who was wearing gray armor with a broadsword on his back. "Hey, Yamato, I didn't think you were   
into-"  
  
"My mom made it for me."  
  
"Well, that's cool. What are you?"  
  
"Can't you tell? I'm a warrior, Tai." He said a little indignant.  
  
Even Taichi could've guessed THAT. "A warrior of what?"  
  
"Just a warrior! Does it really matter?"  
  
What was he getting mad for? "Is that thing real?"  
  
"It's a BROADSWORD, Tai." He said. "And its wood. How do you think I got passed the metal detectors?"  
  
Okay, okay already. Taichi quickly searched the premises for Sora. On a green bench not far from him she sat watching the people   
gathering to wait for the subway. Taichi's heart melted at the sight of her. Sora seemed to be glowing; she was extraordinaire,   
beautiful….  
  
Perfect.  
  
Sora wore tan sandals and a long, ankle length holy-white robe tied by golden twine, and her sleeves were three-quarters in length,   
exposing the delicate flesh of her arms and hands. Upon her breast rested a shimmering cross necklace. Her back adorned with   
small, glittering wings of white. Her amber hair and eyes off-set the trend of neutral colors in a heavenly blaze. She was obviously   
an angel, and as Taichi had always envisioned one to be.   
  
Taichi turned away, feeling his face flush. He felt a little light-headed from his racing heart. How could he say anything to her; to   
such an embodiment of pure beauty? "Come on. We don't want to miss the subway car…."  
  
"Tai, the sub isn't even here yet," Yamato said, making Taichi feel like a total idiot.  
  
"Oh, yeah…." He gave a nervous laugh and tugged on his collar for some air. From behind him he could hear Hikari say, "Wow,   
Sora, you look really great!" And Sora reply, "Thanks! I saw them in a magazine once." At the sing-song sound of her mystical   
voice Taichi felt his entire body flush.  
  
0~*~*~*~*~*~0~*~*~*~*~*~0  
  
There was a ton of kids lined up at the entrance. They were things such as witches, warlocks, cats, lions, Gojira, fairy tale   
characters, even pumpkins, and unaccountably more. The carnival looked pretty big here from the outside. Although Taichi   
couldn't really tell, considering that the entire thing was surrounded by a very tall, wood plank fence painted a dark brown with graffiti   
art all over it. The group reached the entrance where there was a booth at which Taichi paid for himself and Hikari, and received   
two orange tickets with the words "admit one" printed in black. Cool. Well, not really, Taichi was just excited. The gate itself had an   
arch that looked like jagged vampire's teeth. In red, running paint was the word, "welcome". There on the right was a tall, purple   
and white clown with clear wings jutting out of his shoulders. They reminded Taichi of maybe fire, the way the wings were so   
straight. They looked sharp, like the man could cut something with them. He had on a silver, faceless mask. It struck Taichi as   
eerie that the guy only had one eye; the left eye was just a black mystery. Must just be black cloth over that eye, but, man, it did   
look scary. Scary is what Halloween was all about, though, wasn't it? Then the dude fit in perfectly. He offered every kid a map,   
which Koushiro excepted. It seemed to Taichi that the purple clown eyed him in particular as he passed, but Taichi just shrugged it   
off. Must be that one eye thing. Must be.  
  
The gang walked down a path guided by the ten foot fence. It was dark down this passage because its narrowness cut out much of   
the carnivals lights, and supplied no light of its own other than the glow-in-the-dark graffiti of mean-looking eyes and like on the   
walls. The place opened up into a large court Koushiro said was called the "Witching Hour". In the distance there was a huge black   
cauldron set in the court's center. Around it were one-story buildings that adorned the signs of gift shops.   
  
The group approached the cauldron, and there stood a hunchback. He had a gold clock in his left hand, and his right hand behind   
his back. He had a monticule for his right eye, and the gold chain attached down to a pocket of his gray jacket. He didn't wear a   
business suit like Koushiro did, but it was fancy looking none-the-less. The hunchback had huge feet which with his short, bulky   
body, made him look rather awkward.  
  
"Welcome!" He greeted with an aristocratic air. "Welcome to the All Hallow's Eve Carnival of Spooks. We hope you enjoy   
yourselves!" The hunchback noted the groups approach, led naturally by Taichi. "Hello, hello! Ah, what a diverse group of   
Halloweeners! I see we have-"  
  
"Oops!" Mimi cried out as she stumbled over her own feet. She slammed into the man, knocking them both over, causing   
something to fly out of the hunchback's right hand. She got off of him. "I'm so, so sorry!"  
  
"Oh! Oh drat it!" the hunchback cursed as he scrambled over the ground for whatever it was that he'd lost. He clumsily got to him   
feet, remembering his 'guests'. The man dusted himself off. He smiled. "It's- it's alright, my dear. Now, where was I? Oh yes. I   
see we have here a very beautiful geisha, a glorious angel, a pretty little cat, a ninja turtle, a…pirate businessman? And a   
warrior…."  
  
"See, Tai," Yamato said, "HE knew."  
  
The hunchback paused, starring at Taichi, "…and…and what are you, son?"  
  
Taichi felt exasperated. How could anyone NOT know? "I'm…."  
  
Hikari spoke up for him. "He's Satoshi from Pokemon!"  
  
0~*~*~*~*~*~END OF CHAPTER II~*~*~*~*~*~0  
  



	3. Chapter 3

SPECIAL AUTHOR'S NOTE: For all of you whom have emailed me your concerns:  
1) I have absolutely NO intention what-so-ever of cutting Jyou out of the story. I have my…plans. Wha-ha-ha!  
2) The Japanese Pokemon names:   
Satoshi = Ash  
Kasumi = Misty  
Tekeshi ( I think) = Brock  
Kojiro = James  
Musashi = Jesse  
Pikachu = Pikachu (okay, so I'm a smart *ss)  
  
Author's notice  
  
Because I don't feel like writing 'chan' and 'kun' after various characters names all the time, this is a list of the following 'nicknames'   
I've derived from each character's name:  
Hikari- Hi  
Jyou- (none)  
Koushiro- Kou  
Mimi- Mi  
Taichi- Tai  
Takeru- Take  
Sora- (none)  
Yamato- Yama  
Oh, and Jyou's brother Jim- since I don't know Jim's Japanese name, his new name is "Jimu".  
~Thanks  
  
CHAPTER III  
  
"There's something about this map…." Koushiro studied the map, flipping up his eye patch so he could see better.  
  
"Wow, this place is so big they have two Ferris wheels." Sora exclaimed. "But why are they on opposite ends of the park? That's   
weird."  
  
"Sure, is." Taichi agreed without looking at her. "What do you think, Kou?"  
  
No reply.  
  
"Kou?"  
  
Koushiro was no longer with them.   
  
Taichi looked around. Koushiro stood back at the cauldron, his attention completely lost to the map as he ran his finger over its tan   
surface. Taichi went to him.  
  
"Prodigious!" the pirate exclaimed. "Hey, Tai, look at this."  
  
Taichi peered at the map. "So?"  
  
"So… what does this map LOOK LIKE to you?"  
  
The Satoshi wanna-be shrugged. "Umm. A map?"  
  
"It looks like a jack-o-lantern to me." Mimi said as if it was plain as day.  
  
Koushiro nodded. "Exactly! Isn't that cool?"  
  
Oh, it did! That was pretty cool. Taichi nodded.  
  
"Tai, I'm hungry," Hikari held her growling stomach.  
  
"Me too." Takeru concurred.  
  
"Well, okay. Where should we eat? Let's see…." Taichi said, looking at the map. "Up ahead there's a food court called   
'Frankenweenie'."  
  
"Frankenweenie? Wasn't that a movie?" Mimi wondered.  
  
0~*~*~*~*~*~0~*~*~*~*~*~0  
  
The Dark Master's meditation was interrupted by a stir of the darkness. "Who is it?"  
  
"It is only I, my liege." The other informed. "I have come to report."  
  
The Dark Master waved his hand. "Continue."  
  
The darkness stirred as the other bowed. "All is going to plan. Hundreds are turning out. Should we commence…?"  
  
Silence, then, "No. Give them a while yet. Just do what I've already told you; what your…subordinate has been told to do. There's   
no hurry, after all. We have all night and then some."  
  
The other bowed again. "Then, by your leave…."  
  
0~*~*~*~*~*~0~*~*~*~*~*~0  
  
Hikari and Takeru ate their… slop, as Taichi would call it - at one of the many tables and chairs set outside. It was a little chilly,   
though, so most people crowded in the sit down restaurants. One restaurant was called "Vampire's Blood" and the other sit-down   
was titled "Witch's Brew". Because none of them wanted to wait in the incredible lines from either place, Hikari got some teriyaki   
look-alike thing from "Wizard Sticks", and Takeru had some pink, runny soup with some kind of white curd from a stand called   
"Eyeball Slushy". Major gross, although Taichi realized he sounded like Mimi thinking like that.  
  
He looked out over the crowd heading down the main street of the park, "Pumpkin Main". So many people. And every single one of   
them in some sort of disguise or another. One girl he noticed had on a pink ballerina outfit. She must've been freezing in that. The   
guy behind her was dressed like Tigger from Winnie the Pooh. Taichi also saw plenty of Pikachus and even a couple that looked   
like Musashi and Kojiro from Pokemon, and there was also a Kasumi, too. Taichi looked down the length of the food court. Taichi   
saw cats, dogs, even birds. Weaving through the crowd Taichi saw a very familiar face…  
  
"Hey, look, everybody!" Taichi said, watching the figure move through the crowd. "It's Wizardmon!"  
  
"What, where?" They peered into the crowd, but it was too late. Wizardmon was gone. "We don't see anything."  
  
"It must've just be your imagination, Tai," Yamato concluded. "Maybe someone saw him last year and thought it was a good   
costume idea, that's all."  
  
Taichi wasn't so sure, but Yamato was probably right.  
  
"So," Hikari changed the subject. "Where are we going to meet up again?"  
  
"Meet up again?" Taichi hadn't realized they were going to split up.  
  
"Well, sure." Mimi explained while Hikari went to throw her trash away. "Us three girls are going to go do what we want."  
  
"You mean you want to do 'girl stuff'."  
  
The geisha looked blankly for a moment, probably deciding whether or not to be insulted. "Well, yeah."  
  
"And you boys can go do 'boy stuff'." Sora said, using the same emphasis Taichi had.  
  
"Let's meet back at that big pot." Takeru suggested.  
  
"It's called a cauldron, Take." Yamato corrected.  
  
"That's a great idea!" Koushiro looked at his map. "We can meet on the side of the cauldron facing Pumpkin Main, which is the   
largest and center most street of the park. It leads straight to the theater, so we can meet up after the show. The show, by the way,   
starts in about an hour from now. The show itself, should you choose not to go to it, is roughly a half hour in length."  
  
They nodded in understanding.  
  
"Well, then, see ya." Sora waved as the three girls headed off toward Pumpkin Main.  
  
"I guess it's just us 'boys' then." Yamato said, watching them disappear into the crowd. "What should we do first?"  
  
"How about the games?" Takeru suggested, finishing his bowl of slop.  
  
"Sounds good to me." Taichi nodded. "So where to, Kou?"  
  
0~*~*~*~*~*~0~*~*~*~*~*~0  
  
The four "boys", as Sora had called them, made their way first to the rides, and next planned to go to the games so they could be   
right near the theater for the show. Takeru spotted a ride he wanted to go on called "The Black Lagoon". It was a kiddie ride that   
had small boats go around in a circle on a foot or so of water. This water, however, was black as ink. Takeru seemed to enjoy   
himself, laughing and saying, "I wish Patamon was here!" Taichi looked at Yamato, seeing the sheer joy in his eyes and smile.   
Nothing seemed to make Yamato happier than to see Takeru enjoying himself. Taichi knew what that joy was like, as he'd   
experienced with Hikari. After that, the miniature Ninja Turtle wanted to ride the "Black Hornet", but Yamato told him that it wasn't   
any different than the boat ride, and he wanted to save some money for the games. They also went on the "Death's Scythe"; a ride   
that swung like a pendulum back and forth.   
  
"Anybody in the mood for a scare?" Koushiro asked, looking at the map as he walked.  
  
"No, haunted houses are lame." Yamato replied, weaving through the crowd like a pro.  
  
"I wasn't talking about that- oof! Sorry!" he apologized to the Ryoga from Ranma ½. "I was talking about the shooting gallery. It's   
called 'Cemetery Shooting Gallery'. You know, where you shoot this small targets and radical things happen. It's on the corner of   
'Vampire Alley' and 'Warlock Way'. It's on our way to the games anyway. Interested?"  
  
"Yeah, that's sounds cool." Taichi said.  
  
"Take, you shouldn't use that bo like a walking stick." The warrior advised, completely changing the subject.  
  
"Sorry, Yama." He said, "I just don't know what to do with it."  
  
"That's because you don't know how to use it. Here." They stopped as Yamato placed the bo in the strap holders on Takeru's shell.   
  
"But, now I have nothing to play with."  
  
"Here, you can play with the Pokeball I brought with me." Taichi said. "It's got Pikachu in it."  
  
"No, that's okay, Tai. Thanks anyway." He smiled. "Maybe Yama will win something for me."  
  
"Can't you win something for yourself?" Yamato teased.  
  
"I'm not tall enough yet!"  
  
"Oh, okay. I guess I'll HAVE to win something for you then."  
  
The tiny turtle struck his fist to the air. "Yay!"  
  
Yamato smiled.  
  
The shooting gallery was dark, but red lights spilled over the game setup. Every time a target was struck the lights flashed, and   
something either roared, moaned, or screamed as it moved. Kids were lined up at the guns, about four kids to a line. It looked quite   
the wait.  
  
"Maybe we should go somewhere else," Yamato suggested, watching some kid hit the zombie target. It moved from side to side   
and made an awful groaning noise.  
  
"Yeah, let's." Takeru agreed, raising his voice over the noise.  
  
0~*~*~*~*~*~0~*~*~*~*~*~0  
  
All was quiet and black as pitch. Nothing could ruin this moment for him as he mediated, listening to the sound of his own breathing.   
In. Out. In. So soothing it was. Something alerted him then, something from behind.  
  
"What is it?" the Dark Master's voice ruptured the silence.  
  
"Yes, yes!" the comer hissed. "Everything is going well, master."  
  
"Good." He breathed. "Have you found anyone yet?"  
  
Silence.  
  
"Well?!" the anger of the Dark Master's voice split the darkness like a razor.  
  
"N-no. No. Not yet, but I swear-"  
  
"Have you been using the stone?"  
  
"P-partly. Partly, master."  
  
"What do you mean 'partly'?" his voice practiced restrained fury. The Dark Master had always been good with his voice, and for the   
resurrection ceremony he would need it and all his training.  
  
"I-I lost-"  
  
"You 'lost'!?" he screamed, the sheer rage in his voice exploding like a bomb and echoing like a shockwave through the darkness of   
the void. "Take another and be gone! Give a few to your underlings, check ALL who pass in the front gate- as I TOLD you to do   
before- and search through the children that attend the shows. If you had obeyed my orders the first time, we wouldn't have to   
make other plans. You fool, you only make more work for yourself.   
Find them NOW!"  
  
Closing his eyes he felt the darkness around him. Easy, easy. Everything must be controlled and in perfect order, or the   
resurrection would not succeed. Besides, the night was still very young. He mustn't be impatient. As he felt the stupid being turn to   
leave, he spoke in a crisp, cold tone, "Remember, you ARE replaceable."  
  
The Dark Master slowed his breath in effort to begin to meditate again. He made an effort to listen to himself breath instead of   
letting his mind wander to… unimportant matters. The Dark Master felt the tension release; felt the rage drain away from his angrily   
shaking body. His blood began to cool.  
  
He chanted, "When the moon turns black and the suns align. When the Moonstone exhibits a light not of its own. Then, will the   
resurrection begin at the cost of a soul…. Only one of a perfect mind and body may inhabit the spirit of the one now lifeless…."  
  
0~*~*~*~*~*~0~*~*~*~*~*~0  
  
The three "girls", as Taichi had put it, made their way first to the front gate to get another map, then to the shops (under Mimi's   
request), and then planned to head for the games so they could be near the theater when the show would start. Maybe they could   
get good seats. They'd gone into the "Black Cat Gift Shop" and "Blood Moon Gifts". Mimi had found quite a bit she liked, but it had   
all been too… pricey. Some of it was gaudy, too. Although she did find a neat little rose quartz stone set inside the rose pendant of   
a necklace. It wasn't exactly Halloween-ish, but it was pretty. Only 700 en. That wasn't too much, she'd still have enough for   
games, food, and other pretty things.  
  
They trailed down "Gypsy Lane". Mimi saw many booths for palm readings, tarot card readings, crystal ball readings, and whatever   
else fortune tellers did. In front of a walk-in place called "Cassandra's Psychic Counseling" stood a couple dressed like the   
character's of Ranma ½, one being Akane and the other Ranma.   
  
Maybe Mimi should have her fortune read. She stood behind the couple just as a Dracula came out. The couple went in. Good!   
That meant Mimi was next.  
  
"Mi! What are you doing?" Hikari said, trailing back.  
  
"Yeah, you should tell us when you're going to do something." Sora looked at the entrance sign. "You want your fortune read?"  
  
"Sure do." Mimi replied.   
  
"Why?"  
  
She shrugged. "It's just fun. Hey, why don't you have your fortune read too?"  
  
The angel hesitated. "I don't know…I'm not really into that stuff. What if she tells you when you're going to die?"  
  
"Oh, Sora! She's not going to say anything like that! She'll tell you about tall, dark, and handsome, not when you're going to die."   
Although, Sora already had a dark and handsome of her own. "It's only fun."  
  
"Well, I don't see it that way."  
  
"That's okay, Sora." The kitten spoke. "I'm not interested either."  
  
Well, that did it. Mimi was officially dispirited about it now. The fun of fortune telling had been taken out of it for her.  
  
The Ranma couple came out, and Mimi hesitated.   
  
"What's the matter, Mi?" Hikari questioned.  
  
The pretty geisha turned to them; her mind changed. "No, it's okay. I can find tall, dark, and handsome on my own!"  
  
"Now that's the spirit!" Sora smiled. "What should we do next?"  
  
"We're pretty close to the games," Hikari said reading her map, "let's go there."  
  
The three weaved their way through the crowd. Suddenly Mimi noticed that Sora was no longer with them, and turned to survey the   
crowd. She didn't she her. "Where's Sora?" she heard Hikari ask, but paid no mind. The crowd parted just slightly then, giving   
Mimi a straight view of Sora standing with her eyes to the sky. "Sora?"  
  
Sora looked at them as they approached. She looked a little nervous for the color was drained from her face. She spoke in a soft   
voice just barely audible over the crowd. "I saw something…."  
  
"What?"  
  
The small angel shook her head. "It just got really cold all the sudden- cold like winter- and then something flew over me." She   
paused. "It was black. And it was big."  
  
"Like a giant bat or something?"  
  
"Yeah. Kinda."  
  
"Well, this IS a Halloween carnival, isn't it? I'm sure it was just a prop or something." Hikari said optimistically.  
  
Sora nodded. "You're right. Let's get to the games before the carnival starts, huh?"  
  
Mimi smiled, but she could hear the bravado in Sora's voice. She clearly thought she saw something.   
  
The group reached 'Kraken Game Square.' There was an arcade. It looked pretty big, and on its sign it advertised as having laser   
tag. Oh boy! They just HAD to go there!   
  
So they did. While inside Mimi shot a kid dressed in black with a white bandana. He was obviously a dramatist for he groaned   
wildly and danced around as he held his hand over his target. Mimi laughed as he gave his final, very prolonged death scream, fell   
flat on the floor, twitched, and suddenly died.   
  
Sora giggled as she ran from Hikari, and, not seeing the still form, tripped. She nearly fell flat on top of him, but with great grace she   
only stumbled over him. It looked almost as if her wings had caught her and she flew to safety.   
  
The kid sat up.  
  
"I'm sorry. Are you okay?" she asked.  
  
He gazed at her a moment before jumping to his feet like a gymnast. "No, it's MY fault. I shouldn't have been laying there like that.   
Let me introduce myself. I'm Hiei from Yu Yu Hakusho." He bowed as if on stage and smiled. "Well, actually, my name is Yasha."  
  
The three introduced themselves. Yasha insisted on repaying Sora in someway for making her trip. They walked around for a   
while, not deciding on any particular activity. Yasha was quite the talker, speaking on and about nearly everything.   
  
"There's a shooting gallery not far from here," he said. "You want to go there?"  
  
"Sure." The other three agreed.   
  
Inside the shooting gallery Yasha stood in line, talking his mouth off, and before anyone knew it, they had made the front of the   
crowd to pay the vendor. He took his gun in hand, and, with outstanding speed and accuracy, shot every single target. Without   
delay he even shot the ones in the back. His final target was the cemetery sign. It was the hardest target because it happened to   
be right behind the zombie; in between its legs. It didn't look hard, but not too many people seemed to hit it. Yasha shot it like a   
pro.   
  
It was the mother load of all targets. The entire set went into action. The door of the shed on the far left of the set slammed open   
and closed, shaking itself. The shovel leaning against the shed stood upright, making a creaking sound; a hand stuck out of the   
ground at the base of a head stone wiggled its fingers; a black cat puffed up its tail and yowled; the jack-o-lantern perched next to   
another head stone flashed, laughing maniacally; the zombie swayed from side to side while it made a horrible moaning noise; the   
branches of the tree on the far right, next to the sign, moved up and down; and the moon on the back wall pulsated its dim, white   
light. The red over-lighting flickered as there were loud sounds of screaming, groaning, the whooshing of wind, and other like noises   
jumbled together.   
  
That seemed to be his last invisible bullet, and he turned to Sora and smiled. "Would you like to try?"  
  
All three of them tried, but no one was quite as good as the Hiei impersonator; the gun-slingin' champion.   
  
They left there for the real games. They saw all kinds; gold fish catching, balloon dart, water gun, ball toss, on and on. They   
passed up all these, stopping finally at a rice throwing game. Yasha paid his en, took one bag of rice and threw it. About twenty   
feet back was row above row of baskets on a slanted wall. The baskets proceeded to get smaller the higher up and farther back   
they were. The bag of rice flew, and landed perfectly in the uppermost center basket; the Grand Prize.  
  
The shocked vender let Yasha have his pick of the prizes. He turned to Sora, asking her which she liked. The small angel blushed,   
looking at the different stuffed animals. She gestured finally to a green-striped, purple tiger. It was of the large variety, but she liked   
its coloring. Yasha offered to carry the large beast for her, but she said she could handle it. Yasha bowed to her, saying that his   
debt had been paid. Mimi wanted him to win something for her, too. He smiled and accepted the challenge. He won a soft, hot   
pink stuffed pumpkin for her, and a small panda for Hikari. He paid for it all with his own money, and won the very best prize on the   
first try. It was amazing just how good he was.  
  
He was incredibly handsome, too.  
  
They headed up to the theater, passing stages set up at the theater's entrance outside. Mimi saw a large stage where they where   
showing off wild animals, like tigers and bears. Other stages featured fire and sword swallowing, a puppet theater for children, and   
so forth. They entered the theater along with many others, and in the rush of the crowd Mimi held Hikari's hand, and Yasha held   
Sora's.  
  
0~*~*~*~*~*~0~*~*~*~*~*~0  
  
He could feel the darkness as if it were a thick substance floating about him. Someone approached. Could there be no peace for   
him?  
  
"My report, my liege." The subordinate spoke softly. He bowed. "There are many that have come tonight."  
  
"Have you found anyone?"  
  
"No, but I do have my suspicions."  
  
"Good. Just make sure you keep track of those suspicions." The Dark Master's trained voice demanded. Truly, this was one who   
did not disappoint or vex him. No grief accompanied this one. He felt… pleased. "Are they still coming?"  
  
"By the fistful, my liege. As you commanded, all who wish to leave have been put to judgment. Being so early in the night still, none   
too many have left."  
  
The Dark Master felt his spirits rise. "Make sure you assign three replacements before you leave your post; quantity must be   
preferred where there is a lack of quality."  
  
"Of course, sire."  
  
The Dark Master smiled. "You are dismissed."  
  
The other bowed, "By your leave."  
  
As the other turned to leave, the Dark Master added. "Be sure to make the show… unforgettable."  
  
0~*~*~*~*~*~END OF CHAPTER III~*~*~*~*~*~0  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  



	4. Chapter 4

Author's notice  
  
Because I don't feel like writing 'chan' and 'kun' after various characters names all the time, this is a list of the following 'nicknames'   
I've derived from each character's name:  
Hikari- Hi  
Jyou- (none)  
Koushiro- Kou  
Mimi- Mi  
Taichi- Tai  
Takeru- Take  
Sora- (none)  
Yamato- Yama   
Oh, and Jyou's brother Jim- since I don't know Jim's Japanese name, his new name is "Jimu".  
~Thanks  
  
Costume reminder:  
Hikari- cat (like Gatomon)  
Koushiro- pirate businessman (like an American?)  
Mimi- geisha (for vanity's sake)  
Taichi- Satoshi from Pokemon (Ash Ketchum)  
Takeru- Ninja Turtle (Donatello; by accident)  
Sora- angel (NOT a witch)  
Yamato- warrior (does it really matter of what?)  
  
Chapter IV  
  
Taichi, Koushiro, Yamato, and Takeru sat down in the huge theater's seats. Taichi found the burgundy cushioning to be   
comfortable, but because of Yamato's sword, he had too sit in his seat sideways. It looked rather uncomfortable. Yamato would   
have to sit this way for an hour. Ouch. Unlike Takeru's bo, Yamato's broadsword was sown to his armor.  
  
The theater looked more like an amphitheater. People poured in by the hundreds through both sets of theater entrance doors.   
Taichi smiled. They had gotten the best seats; smack in the middle and not yet nosebleed, but up enough to be able to see   
everything. The theater filled in quickly, and before Taichi realized it, several rows behind him had been completely crammed.   
  
Taichi looked out over the theater. Something about it confused his eyes. He studied the audience. The crowd dressed in mostly   
black, red, and purple. They were witches, goblins, princesses, cartoon characters like from Fushigi Yugi. They laughed, carried   
huge carnival prizes… nothing unusual. The center stage looked of smooth stone. Taichi began to feel dizzy. "There's something   
about this place…."  
  
"Yeah, it's making me feel weird." Yamato agreed.  
  
"It's elliptical." Koushiro observed skillfully. "You naturally assume this place to be circular, and in contrast, you feel a little off-  
balance. Look there, at the stage. It's rectangle, yet has equal proportions on each side between itself and the spectator walls."  
  
"Oh." Taichi wasn't sure he caught all of that.  
  
"And one more thing." The pirate removed his eye patch, tucking it into his coat pocket. "I have absolutely no idea how they did it,   
but… that entire side of the theater is…."  
  
Yamato pressed, "Is WHAT, Kou?"  
  
"Is a mirror."  
  
Stunned silence followed. Then collectively, "Say what?"  
  
"Look," Koushiro gestured to the people flowing in. "All the people that come in the doors nearest us sit on this side. All the people   
that come in the set of doors farthest sit on THAT side. I'm sure that if you look hard enough you can find us over there."  
  
"Yeah?" Taichi pulled out his binoculars. "Let's see…."  
  
"Wow, Tai! Do you take those things everywhere?" Takeru asked from under the stuffed, blue teddy on his lap.  
  
Yamato spoke. "Talk about a 'pack rat'!"  
  
There. Taichi found himself starring back through a pair of binoculars. "Wow, Kou! You're right! I CAN see myself! But how did   
they do it?"  
  
Koushiro shook his head. "I only wish I knew. The mirror is so immense- prodigious really."  
  
"Let me see." Yamato took Taichi's goggles. He scanned the mirror. "That can't be you, Tai. He's much better looking."  
  
"Oh yeah?!" Taichi sneered. "Well, with your reflection, I'm surprised you haven't SHATTERED the mirror!"  
  
"Whatever."  
  
"Hey! Can you see Hikari?" Takeru rocked his chair.   
  
Yamato searched a moment, shifting his uncomfortable position. "Yeah, I see them. They're near the top."  
  
"What? Let me see." Taichi took back his binoculars. After a short search he found all three- no- all four of them. Four?  
Taichi observed some kid dressed all in black talking with them, making them laugh. He saw Sora carrying some large thing- a   
purple tiger. He'd seen that. It was at some basket booth that he knew Sora would never win at. So then that meant…that kid had   
won that huge thing for her. Taichi saw Sora smile and laugh with him, sitting at his side. That wasn't right; it just wasn't. Taichi felt   
his feelings stir anxiously. HE should be the one doing those things with Sora. "Who's that guy? What's he doing with Sora?"  
  
Yamato smiled slyly. "You JEALOUS, Tai?"  
  
Taichi was stunned at the accusation. "What?"  
  
"I said, 'are you jealous'?"  
  
"No." Liar. Taichi absolutely was.  
  
"Yeah sure." The warrior looked out over the mirrored audience. He turned then to Taichi, suddenly serious. "Haven't you told her   
how you feel yet, Tai?"  
  
"What- what are you talking about?" He stammered feverishly. "Who says I feel anything?"  
  
He sighed. "Oh, come on, Tai! We've all noticed!"  
  
Taichi set the binoculars in his lap, somehow feeling guilty of everything in the world.  
  
"When are you going to tell her?"  
  
Taichi didn't answer.  
  
"You really should, Tai," Koushiro encouraged.  
  
His face blushed. He didn't need this right now. "Hey, guys, not here."  
  
"Tai, you NEED to tell her," Yamato pressured. "Before you LOOSE her."  
  
Like to that kid in black. Taichi sighed. He hadn't felt so cornered in his life. Did they really have to go on about this? It was   
Halloween; they were supposed to have fun, and… no. No, Taichi couldn't deny the truth. He needed to tell Sora somehow, and   
without feeling like a complete idiot when he did. It might've been too late already, if Sora was taken aback by that other kid.  
  
It's just that she'd matured so much in the last month they'd gotten back. Taichi didn't know how; she just did. She had grown in   
beauty, grace, dignity…. Taichi hadn't grown at all. He felt… unworthy. He should've tried to grow too, but instead he'd been acting   
like a jerk. Why did he do such things?  
  
Well, no more! He'd stop belittling the both of them. His problem was truly that he needed to grow-up. So, he would start now.   
Now was a good time as any, right?   
  
0~*~*~*~*~*~0~*~*~*~*~*~0  
  
Sora laughed at Yasha's funny, but incredibly stupid joke. He was pretty nice; so friendly and up-front. He had a good sense of   
humor. A little hyper though.  
  
"Oh, hey!" Yasha stood suddenly. "I'll be right back."  
  
"Where are you going?" Mimi asked curious.  
  
The Hiei looked over his shoulder. "My big sister is here, and I need to go check in with her."  
  
" 'Check in'?" Sora wondered. "Were you supposed to meet her?"  
  
He smiled apologetically at the angel. "Yes, but I was having such a good time with you, I forgot! Please forgive me."  
  
The kitten nodded. "Are you coming back?"  
  
He nodded, turned, squeezed his way to the center stairs, and headed up to wherever he'd seen his sister.  
  
Mimi giggled at Sora.  
  
"What?" she queried, almost defensive.  
  
"He likes you."  
  
"Oh, Mi!"  
  
"You would make a cute couple." Mimi continued. "Boy, he sure held YOUR hand tightly!"  
  
"What are you talking about? I just didn't want to get lost in the crowd." She stroked her tiger's head.  
  
"You could've held mine," The kitten, Hikari, said.  
  
Sora looked at her, betrayed. "How many times do I have to tell you? It didn't mean anything!"  
  
"Okay, okay." Mimi held up her hands in defeat.  
  
There was silence following. The prize tiger sat on the floor between Sora's knees, and she stroked its soft head absentmindedly. It   
wasn't fair; it just wasn't. She'd tried so hard. She'd exhausted herself trying to catch Taichi's attention; to finally approve of her.   
She'd spent so long trying. So long…. Sora had even tried to find just the right costume. She'd spent weeks agonizing over it! And   
what did he do? Nothing! He didn't notice her at all! Not a word about it! In fact, he'd been avoiding her! She knew he was. He   
didn't seem to want to even LOOK at her. He even avoided her during soccer practice. He didn't pass the ball to her anymore. But   
why the sudden change? What did he think of her now? Was she shameful to him? Were they even friends anymore? Didn't he   
know she was alive?   
  
Sora closed her eyes. And now… and now came along Yasha. Yasha noticed her. In fact, he made her feel good about herself.   
She didn't have to try to get his attention. She HAD it. He'd even told her how beautiful he thought she was. Well, he didn't SAY   
anything; it was the look in his eyes. His beautiful brown eyes. Yasha was athletic, funny, fun to be with, good looking, and sweet.   
A flirt, yes, but undeniably sweet.  
  
Sora sighed longingly. "Well, at least HE knows I'm alive."  
  
They giggled. "Oh, Sora…."  
  
"What?!" She jumped, startled from her thoughts.  
  
"You like him…."   
  
"No, I don't!" The small angel flushed as bright as her hair. "Come on, stop it!"  
  
"Stop what?" Yasha sat down next to her, looking intensely into her eyes.   
  
Sora cast her eyes to her tiger, saying nothing. Her heart raced as if he had heard her thoughts.   
  
If only… if only Taichi-  
  
Suddenly the lights died.   
0~*~*~*~*~*~0~*~*~*~*~*~0  
  
The Satoshi looked about, seeing that the flow from the doors had ceased. The lights went out completely, then suddenly a man   
appeared on the center stage as the lights rose again. It was that purple clown with the wicked one eye. He bowed, saying some   
opening lines. Taichi hadn't heard a word the clown had said for he was preoccupied with a startling observation.  
  
The man had no reflection.  
  
0~*~*~*~*~*~0~*~*~*~*~*~0  
  
Mimi looked around. She whispered, "Sora?"  
  
"What is it, Mimi?" The angel glanced from the performer to the wide-eyed geisha.  
  
"Where are all the adults?"  
  
"What do you mean, Mi?" Hikari leaned over to hear better.  
  
"Look around." Mimi said. "Everyone here is our age or younger. I don't think I've seen an adult all night."   
  
Sora peered around. It was true. There were witches and goblins of all sorts. Black cats, and cartoon characters, but not a one of   
them over Sora's own age.   
  
"What are you talking about?" Yasha leaned so close Sora could feel his hot breath on her face, and, shyly, she transfixed her gaze   
out to the stage where the clown again bowed at the end of his speech.  
  
"There aren't any adults here." She explained.  
  
Yasha shrugged. "Is that such a big deal?"  
  
The angel shook her head, feeling a little comforted. It really wasn't a big deal. It was strange though. Usually it was Taichi who   
comforted her; made her feel safe. Or at least until recently.   
  
Too bad Taichi wasn't more like Yasha.  
  
Yasha was so open. He was carefree to a fault, too. Although, that quality didn't ever make good leaders, and Taichi was the best.   
Yasha was hyper, but he was real fun to be with. He'd done nothing but made Sora smile and laugh all night. He made her feel   
good, not worried about what he thought about her. They'd only just met, but Sora felt like she'd known him forever.  
  
"Besides," Yasha broke Sora from her thoughts. "There ARE adults here. They run the shops and the rides."  
  
"But none of the carnival-goers are over fourteen!" The geisha argued her point, her voice rasp.  
  
"So?"  
  
She sighed. "Oh, never mind!"  
  
The audience clapped wildly as the clown disappeared in a puff of smoke. The suddenly the lights flashed vibrant colors of yellow,   
blue, and red. Out from the stage doors of the spectator walls ran a total of six girls paired by color. They danced as the rapid   
music played. They looked like dancing girls, as they had short, poofy skirts that swished from side to side. They had large feathers   
sticking out of their hair.   
  
Sora was distracted as Mimi gave her her hot- pink pumpkin. "I'll be right back. I've got to use the restrooms."  
  
Sora nodded as Mimi squeezed passed her and her tiger.  
  
0~*~*~*~*~*~0~*~*~*~*~*~0  
  
The minion held the black stone near the back of the children's' heads as it squeezed passed the row upon row of countless knees.   
So many knees meant so many children in which to search. And so much to search meant more work than the creature was   
capable of handling. Although, it wasn't like it was alone. There were many searching, so it wouldn't take so long. It wouldn't be so   
bad.  
  
The creature stopped, surprised. It thought it saw a reaction in the stone. It stopped, watched it for a time. Nothing. The minion   
continued.   
  
The creature repeated this pattern of behavior every few steps as the changing lights cast a new aura on the stone, yet it never   
realized.  
  
Something happened then, for real. The dark stone began to 'glow', of sorts, as it began to greedily devour all light around it like a   
black hole, vibrating in its hand.   
  
It found one!   
  
With excitement it dropped the stone, with a crash. It rolled to the row below, and hid under the seats there. None too many   
seemed to notice the disturbance as they had been hypnotized completely on the flashy show before them. Not that the creature   
would've cared otherwise for its one-track mind knew only to find its master.  
  
0~*~*~*~*~*~0~*~*~*~*~*~0  
  
The hunchback strolled the aisle casually. He couldn't believe the immense task the Dark Master had put him to. It was cruel,   
unfair. And it was all because of that clumsy, no-body girl. If he could get his hands on her, he'd-  
  
"Excuse me- oops!"  
  
The hunchback was taken down by some kid, instantly fearing that he'd lost another stone. But no, he still had it for it vibrated in his   
hand. Vibrated!? Then that meant he'd found one they'd been searching for!  
  
The kid got off of him, apologizing profusely in a high pitched, whinny voice. A voice he knew.  
  
He could just see the kid's face in the dim, refracted light. It was that geisha from before!  
  
She took flight then; in a hurry for some reason.  
  
No, he was not going to loose her. It figured that she was one of them, the clumsy oaf.   
  
The hunchback followed her down the flights of the center stairs. He was determined in repaying his debt to the master for losing   
the stone. He smiled wickedly. The master was sure to be proud, and that would make that clown twit insanely jealous.   
  
He licked his lips. How delightful.  
  
The hunchback was close behind her as she exited the theater's "exit only" doors. They entered the passageway that circled   
around the back of the theater, spilling at the theater's front into the rest of the carnival. He could grab her now in this lonely alley.   
He walked briskly. She was just a head of him, just out of arm's length. The hunchback skipped to close the distance, and the   
sound of his large feet went unnoticed.   
  
His heart raced with excited pleasure. The awards of bringing this one in were great indeed.  
  
Somehow she heard him then, it must've been his breathing. He'd forgotten about his breathing. Or maybe it was his feet after all;   
it didn't really matter. The hunchback stopped as the geisha turned to him. She stared at him a moment, her eyes widening.   
Something in his countenance frightened her, and she stammered, "Yes?". He knew that if he was going to grab her it had to be   
NOW.  
  
The hunchback lunged for her like a coiled snake. She gasped, jumping back with the reflexes of a cat, causing his awkward body   
to slam his face in the dirt near her feet.  
  
"What do you want?!" she cried.  
  
The hunchback grabbed her ankle. The geisha gasped, kicked him square in the face, and said, "Ew! Get off me!". The jarring pain   
forced his hand from her flesh to nurse his own. She spun on her heels toward the alley's exit, gave chase, and screamed for help.   
He couldn't help but give a rough cackle as he got to his feet.   
  
Let the fun begin!  
  
0~*~*~*~*~*~END OF CHAPTER IV~*~*~*~*~*~0  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  



	5. Chapter 5

Author's notice  
  
Because I don't feel like writing 'chan' and 'kun' after various characters names all the time, this is a list of the following 'nicknames'   
I've derived from each character's name:  
Hikari- Hi  
Jyou- (none)  
Koushiro- Kou  
Mimi- Mi  
Taichi- Tai  
Takeru- Take  
Sora- (none)  
Yamato- Yama   
Oh, and Jyou's brother Jim- since I don't know Jim's Japanese name, his new name is "Jimu".  
~Thanks  
  
Costume reminder:  
Hikari- cat (like Gatomon)  
Koushiro- pirate businessman (like an American?)  
Mimi- geisha (for vanity's sake)  
Taichi- Satoshi from Pokemon (Ash Ketchum)  
Takeru- Ninja Turtle (Donatello; by accident)  
Sora- angel (NOT a witch)  
Yamato- warrior (does it really matter of what?)  
  
Chapter V  
  
Jyou sat at his kneeling table endeavored over his books. Study, study, study. It seemed like that was all he did anymore. Too bad   
they weren't back in the digiworld where he didn't study at all and freaked over not being able to. Well, no that wasn't true. He just   
had a lot to catch up on, then he'd have some free time. More free time… when did he EVER have free time? It was always school,   
juku, clubs, study. And the next day it was the same all over again.   
  
Mimi's words rang in his head, "You study too hard"…. She was right, but what other option did he have? If he wanted to get   
anywhere, even high school, he'd have to come out on top. There was always someone racing to beat him at it too. Jyou had to   
constantly prepare for Hell week if he was going to make it anywhere. He wanted to major in medicine, just like Jimu.  
  
"Hey, Jyou, why don't you take a break?" Gomamon said from the floor next to Palmon.  
  
The other digimon agreed, Palmon saying, "Yeah, Mimi thinks you study too hard."  
  
"I know, I know." Jyou said, buried in his textbook. "You don't have to rub my nose in it."  
  
"Thanks again for letting us stay here until they get back from the carnival," Biyomon said, "but with you so silent studying like that   
it's almost as lonely as if we'd just stayed home."  
  
There was a knock on the shouji (Japanese paper door or screen) wood, and it slid aside to reveal Jimu. "Excuse me, Jyou?"  
  
"Yeah, what is it?" he turned on his knees.  
  
"Um, could you…" Jimu hesitated, then spit it all out at once. "Provide entertainment for my guests tonight?"  
  
Jyou's eyes widened. Oh no. "What, why?"  
  
"Please?"  
  
"But I've got studying to do!"  
  
"You ALL could help with the party," Jimu gestured to the digimon. "It'll be lots of fun."  
  
The digimon looked at each other, becoming excited. "Yeah, let's!"  
  
"Come on, Jyou." Agumon encouraged. "It'll be good for you."  
  
Jyou sighed, caving in. "All right…"  
  
"Great! Hurry and get into the costume I bought for you," He smiled and paused, trying not to snicker," They'll be here soon."  
  
The shouji closed, confining the room's occupants in privacy once again. Jyou's face fell in exasperation, "Why me?!"  
  
0~*~*~*~*~*~0~*~*~*~*~*~0  
The lights rose dramatically as the show ended. Hikari stretched her rested limbs. Her mind still seemed a little stunned by the   
entire spectacle of that grand show. It really had been AMAZING. It was a show she wasn't likely to forget. It hadn't seemed like   
an hour or so at all either. She almost expected…   
  
more.   
  
Hikari looked at the empty seat next to her. Where had Mimi gone?   
  
"She's not back yet?" Sora said, thinking much the same thing.  
  
Yasha shrugged, and offered his had to Sora, which she responded to gladly. "Maybe she fell in."  
  
"I hope not," Hikari replied, holding Sora's other hand. "They're all those gross port-o-potties! Maybe we should go see if she's   
okay?"  
  
"I wouldn't worry about it. Besides, she knows where to meet, anyway." Sora said as the made their was to the center stairs.   
  
Sora and Yasha talked then, about meeting at the cauldron. She told him about Taichi and Yamato. About Koushiro and Takeru.   
  
The Hiei smiled and nodded, wishing to meet them. "Would it be alright if I came with you?"  
  
Sora nodded. "Absolutely!"  
  
She said some more things, but Hikari, being smaller in size, had trouble hearing all of it. Hikari smiled as she watched them   
talking, leaning close together just to hear each other over the noise of the crowd. They looked cute together. But if she knew her   
Taichi at all, Hikari well knew how jealous he would be if he was here seeing this. In fact, he'd probably talk up a storm and, Hikari   
giggled, TAKE Sora's hand first chance he got just to beat Yasha. And in doing so, he probably get clumsy and cause them both to   
tumble down the theater stairs or something.  
  
The motley crowd intensified as they reached the floor.   
  
Hikari looked about at all the costumed figures. Up on the center stairs she saw Taichi look up and stop as if he'd spotted her. He   
just stood there and stared a moment- Hikari was sure he saw her. He said something, and the others looked where he did.  
Hikari made an attempt to wave her hand at him when something slammed into her so hard she stumbled backwards, fell into   
another person; passed them, and fell on her tail.   
  
"Sorry!" Cried an older boy dressed like a ninja. He ran threw the crowd in a rush for whatever reason. Hikari could hear him yell   
"Sorry!" several more times as he obviously bumped into others, and, unlike Hikari, his other victims had a few comments for him.  
  
She stood abruptly, the stun of it passing. Sora was no where in sight. The crowd continued to move onward like flowing water.   
Hikari felt like a stone in the stream for the people moved around her, bothered not by her. Hikari looked up then to where she'd   
seen Taichi, but he was gone too, lost somewhere in this flow of bodies.   
  
No matter. She'd find them all again at the cauldron.   
  
Hikari joined the flow, only to be stopped again by some man.  
  
"Excuse- excuse me. Would you please come with me, little girl?"   
  
She nodded. "Okay. What's the matter?"  
  
"I- I need some help with something."   
  
Hikari took his hand, and the hunchback led her away from sight.  
  
0~*~*~*~*~*~0~*~*~*~*~*~0  
  
'When the moon turns black and the suns align. When the Moonstone exhibits a light not of its own. Then, will the resurrection   
begin at the cost of a soul…. Only one of a perfect mind and body may inhabit the spirit of the one now lifeless….'   
  
The Dark Master sighed. It just wasn't working anymore. He couldn't seem to get into the meditative state that he needed to be in.   
He felt impatient. Several questions plagued him: why hadn't he been informed recently? Surely something must have happened   
during all this time? Why hadn't the children been found yet? What were those imbeciles up to?  
  
He breathed. Calm. He needed to be calm and collective or he was all for naught. He would be weak to give into such fool   
emotions as worry and panic; as impatience and fear.   
  
He mustn't get angry either, but he needed something to cool his nerves, or else he WOULD loose his composure.  
  
He needed to fly. Yes, that would be good for him. He could survey to crowd personally this way; assure himself that all was going   
well, and, even though he'd taken wing once already tonight, the activity was so calming to him. The cool wind in his face and his   
bird's eye view over everything. He was above the world, not only in terms now, but also literally.   
  
Yes, a flight would most certainly do.  
  
Using his skill, the Dark Master left his den of darkness.   
  
0~*~*~*~*~*~0~*~*~*~*~*~0  
  
He swooped down low in response to the demand of the air currents. Already he had been calmed; such was the magic of flight.   
The Dark Master heard then to his right the creaking of the Phantom Ferris Wheel, and the lively chatter and laughter of its riders.   
He saw a handful of children riding it- so carefree they were- and many more lined up at its base. Even under their masks and face   
paint he could see their little features clearly.  
  
What he saw there put him to rage.   
  
That fool messed up AGAIN!! Anger put fire in his chest, and his eyes burned. He landed at the back of the theater and entered its   
exit. He knew to find that stupid fool in there- he felt his presence within. He exploded through the doors, and the being therein   
jumped sky high. The hunchback lost his composure. He fumbled with the time piece in his hand, juggling it in effort to keep it, but   
the delicate instrument plummeted to its death, the glass of its face shattering.  
  
He forgot the time piece momentarily for the fear he held in the presence of the master. "Master, master! What upsets you so?"  
  
"You fool!" He roared. "The children here are all far too young! What do you have to say for yourself?!"  
  
"Too… too… young, master? By whatever do you mean?"  
  
"How do you expect to capture the digi-destined if they are not here!?" The Dark Master's voice could've crumbled the theater's thick   
walls. "Hypnomon, you completely messed up the TV add campaign! You hypnotized the wrong age group! Do you think the digi-  
destined who defeated our late king where so young?! Do you think it possible?!"  
  
"Well, well, I-I-"  
  
The Dark Master glanced at the youth standing before Hypnomon. "And what is this you are doing here? Have I not given you   
specific enough instructions to keep you busy?"  
  
"I-I thought only to acquire some help…." Hypnomon cowered.  
  
"Help?! HELP?! What more help do you need with the digimon whom I have put under your care?!" He roared. "No, Hypnomon.   
You have thoroughly drained my patience with you! There is little but my shear will holding me back from tearing you apart!!"  
  
The Dark Master breathed, his body shaking with the force of the rage inside him. He turned to leave, saying, "FIX this problem. I   
want to see some major improvement by tomorrow night. If you haven't done so…you will be properly punished."  
  
And he left from whence he came.  
  
0~*~*~*~*~*~0~*~*~*~*~*~0  
  
Hypnomon stared for a time after the Dark Master, alone now with only his doll to keep him company. Once the initial blank stun   
had left him, he turned his attention to the doll before him. Well, SHE was obviously too young to be one of them. Just as well,   
considering that that purple freak had confiscated his stone when he'd chased that geisha. That clown had stopped him and yelled   
at him for making such a scene. 'You could've just asked her aside to hypnotize her,' the clown had scorned, 'But instead you've   
been blundering around and chasing poor girls in some sort of sick fantasy of yours!' After saying that he'd taken his stone away   
from him, going on about Hypnomon not being suited for the responsibility of the task. The freak could do that too, considering he   
was Hypnomon's superior. Superior in title only. 'Serves you right she bloodied your face!' He'd laughed at him. Hypnomon would   
bloody HIS face if he wasn't careful!  
  
And now the Dark Master threatened him, possibly his life. It crossed his mind to turn to the enemy, but he was deathly afraid of the   
Dark Master, and sought only to secure his position in the master's favor. Hypnomon didn't hate the Dark Master like he did that   
purple freak; he was much too fearful to feel much of anything else toward the late king.  
  
But what was he going to do about a stupid TV add gone wrong? He had to hypnotize the TV stations' producers just to run the   
commercial non-stop. How was he going to change a subliminal TV message over-night? Those things took time and hardship.   
  
Now with his beautiful time piece broken, how was he to do anything? The thing was so fragile- as had just been proven- so he'd   
never set it down. Not ever. It was an effort to keep it preserved. Now, with the hands bent, the glass face shattered- what was he   
to do? It hadn't lost all its power at least, but even so….  
  
He glanced up at the all-but-forgotten doll before him. She was silent as stone. Her eyes had dialated, and her expression was   
blank. It occurred to him that maybe they had met before?   
  
Drat it all! He couldn't do a thing more with her. Not now. Not ever. When the master had entered he hadn't completed his mission   
of hypnotizing her into doing what he wanted her to do. She was just hypnotized, no objectivity in her. Just a lifeless shell, held firm   
by the remaining power of his time piece.  
  
Maybe he could fix it. Restore it.   
  
Yeah, whatever. He was Hypnomon the hypnotist, not Clockmon the clockmaker.   
  
Depressed, Hypnomon waved off his witless disciple. "Go on, get out of here. I can't do anything more with you anyway."  
  
As she turned and began to walk away, Hypnomon recognized her. She HAD been with that geisha!   
  
He moved to stop her. He hesitated suddenly. She had been with that geisha…Hadn't she? But then, there were so many cats   
and the like running around, how was he supposed to remember who came with who? Hypnomon shrugged it off. She couldn't   
have been a digi-destined anyway; she was 'far too young'.  
  
0~*~*~*~*~*~0~*~*~*~*~*~0  
  
Taichi paced back and forth at the cauldron's base. Yamato leaned against the massive structure while Koushiro braved his rump   
on the wood protruding from under the cauldron. Taichi was agitated. While on their way out they'd lost Takeru somehow. The tiny   
turtle had been holding Yamato's hand, and then some kid ran into them. Yamato yelled at him, saying, 'Hey! Watch where you're   
going, you klutz!' Then he started yelling for Takeru, but it was so crowded they decided it was best to just head out to the cauldron.   
Takeru was old enough to take care of himself anyway. Mimi, Sora and his sister hadn't returned yet either, probably still with that   
guy in black. So they waited on the four of them, but Taichi was most anxious about Sora. He grew more impatient by the second,   
especially since…since….  
  
"Calm down, Tai," Yamato said, his arms crossed. "They'll be here."  
  
"Well, what's taking them so long?"  
  
"I don't know, Tai." He replied non-chalant. "But they'll be here."  
  
Taichi looked up as two figures appeared from out of the crowd. Speaking of the devil. HE was with her, carrying her tiger for her.   
Just the two of them; a couple. So where…? "Hey, where's Mi and Hi?"  
  
Sora's eyes surveyed the small party. "I don't know. Mi went to go to the restroom, and Hi got split up from us in the crowd.   
Where's Take?"  
  
Koushiro shook his head, thinking a loud. "That's probably the same thing happened to us."  
  
"Huh?"  
  
"Some jerk ran into us and I lost Take." Yamato explained.  
  
"We waited outside for both of them for a while, then we just decided to head back." The small angel looked to the kid in black,   
remembering her manners. "Oh! And this is Yasha. Yasha, this is Taichi, Koushiro, and Yamato."   
  
He waved, "Hey."  
  
Yamato and Koushiro responded. "Hi."  
  
"Hey." Taichi nodded.   
  
Suddenly from Taichi's left burst a frail, huffing figure through the crowd. "There… you are! I've looked everywhere… running from   
a mad… hunchback and-"  
  
Taichi stopped Mimi by her shoulders. "Whoa! Wait, what was that?!"  
  
She let herself breath laboriously for a moment. "Oh,… I need… to sit down, my feet… are killing me… in… these things!"  
Mimi sat down with Koushiro, letting the adrenaline shake her from a lack of bodily activity. "A mad hunchback… was… chasing me,   
and… I'm sorry I'm late,… but I got lost!"   
  
"Didn't you yell for help?" Sora asked.  
  
Mimi nodded. "But they all… just stared at me like I…was crazy."  
  
"Hmm." The pirate thought. "That's probably because you kept running unknowing that your tormentor had ceased."  
  
"Oh, thanks a lot!" Mimi breathed, misunderstanding. "I'm not… crazy, you know!"  
  
"I didn't say that…."  
  
"Then that must be why Hi and Take are still missing!" Taichi said, jumping to a conclusion, "We have to find them!"  
  
The angel disagreed. "But how do you know that the hunchback is responsible, Tai?"  
  
"I don't!" The Satoshi admitted. "But it's our best clue!"  
  
"Don't jump to conclusions, Tai." Yamato warned. "Let's just go look for them."  
  
The Hiei nodded. "I'll help. Sora and I-"  
  
"Koushiro, Mimi, you stay here in case they come back," Taichi interrupted. "Yamato, you and Yasha-"  
  
"No thanks, Tai," The warrior said, glancing at Yasha. " No offense, but I can take care of myself."  
  
Yasha shook his head. "None taken."  
  
Taichi watched Yamato head off, unsure with what to do with this 'new comer'.  
  
The 'new comer' decided for him. "Tai, why don't you head off one way, and Sora and I will head off down another."  
  
Taichi felt uncomfortable. Strangers where to use Taichi, not 'Tai'. The nickname was reserved strictly for his close friends and   
family. Taichi didn't really know this guy, so he couldn't say he didn't like Yasha. But this guy in black was cutting in on his territory-   
no. Taichi closed his eyes. No. 'Cutting in on HIS territory'… Sora was NOT property. It wasn't even like Taichi to think like that;   
so derogatory. It must've just been the stress of everything.   
  
"Tai?" It was Sora.  
  
TAICHI was leader here, not Yasha. Even Sora knew it.  
  
"Let's the three of us go together," he decided finally, trying to be fair to Yasha.   
  
Yasha was a rival, not an enemy. Taichi had no reason to hate him; just to beat him. Like he always did with Yamato.   
  
He smiled. Like as with Yamato, and always win.  
  
0~*~*~*~*~*~0~*~*~*~*~*~0  
  
It was so dark! All the booths were empty and the lights out. The rides had stopped, becoming still as a cemetery. The only light   
for Takeru now was the moon overhead. A moon which could not be seen in the stretch of starless navy void.   
  
That bad digimon could've been right behind him! He realized, suddenly catching his breath, and listened fearfully.   
  
Nothing. All was quiet- like in the wake of death.   
  
Takeru wiped the sweat from his face. He looked up to the navy void. There was no city scraping the sky anymore, either. The tall   
buildings had vanished, leaving only darkness.   
  
So lonely.  
  
No one would hear his cries when the purple clown attacked him next.  
  
"Yama!" The Ninja Turtle called out as he took flight; his imagination having taken wing.   
  
"Yam-!" He fell, his face slamming into the dirt. Pain shot up his nose, causing tears. He got up, needing only his big brother to   
protect him.  
  
"Yama!" He cried, running again. If he could get to the cauldron- if he could just get to the cauldron everything would be alright   
because Yamato would somehow be there. Takeru was sure of it.   
  
He wiped his eyes sending a flow of tears to stain his cheeks. He snuffled, "Yama! Where are you?!"  
  
Takeru ran as fast as his tiny legs could muster, running blindly into the shadows.  
  
Shadows which greedily concealed anything within them; even the frightening clown that haunted him.  
  
"Yamaa!!"  
  
0~*~*~*~*~*~0~*~*~*~*~*~0  
  
Yamato strode up Pumpkin Main toward the theater; alone. He didn't bother calling out to Takeru, he'd never hear him with the   
noise produced by the masses. He probably just got lost, like Mimi did. Mimi. Thank goodness she was okay. He couldn't believe   
that someone tried to grab her. Yamato shook his head. Where was the security, for goodness sake? Weren't they supposed to   
prevent stuff like that?  
  
A girl passed him, turned around, and nearly ran into him. "Oh sorry! I didn't see you!"  
  
Yamato forced a smile. "It's okay, really."  
  
That was the second time that night! Good grief, can't people watch where they're going? For crying out loud!  
  
"Yama!"  
  
He stopped dead in his tracks. Yamato spun swiftly, spying Takeru running. "Take?!"  
  
"Yam-!" He fell on his face, kicking up a cloud of dirt. Yamato pushed passed some unobservant loiterers in effort to reach Takeru.   
But as he got closer, Yamato could see that something was wrong; wrong with Takeru.  
  
The tiny turtle got to his feet, crying. He broke into a heated run, yelling, "Yama!"  
  
Yamato gave chase, shouting at the top of his lungs. "Take! Wait, it's me!"  
  
"Yama! Where are you?!"  
  
"Take! I'm right here! Takeru!"  
  
He just kept running. Hadn't he heard Yamato calling him? Everyone else did, but they didn't seem to see Takeru.  
  
Takeru's form vanished, screaming, "Yamaa!!"  
  
"Takeruu!!"   
  
Yamato stopped where Takeru had… disappeared like vapor. He looked up, realizing he was back at the cauldron; in the shadows   
of the gift shop, Koushiro and Mimi staring at him wide-eyed.  
  
0~*~*~*~*~*~END OF CHAPTER V~*~*~*~*~*~0  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  



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